Ascent of Mount Liberty on 2011-06-25

Ascent Trip Report

My first hike of the season, and I did it in my Vibram 5 Fingers Trek Plus shoes on the way up, traditional hiking boots on the way down. Weather was drizzle, cool at the outset (55F), and stayed that way. Rain stayed away with the exception of a couple of small showers.

The lower Liberty Spring Trail was in good condition, but it was muddy in some spots and slippery in most. The push up the rocky staircase to the camp just below the ridge was challenging and strenuous...bring water! Getting cold was a concern, so we did not stop much.

The last .3 to the Franconia ridge was pretty brutal, as we were both beat. The last .3 to the summit of Liberty was pretty easy, with a little bit of scrambling required. It was a foggy day, so no real views :( total ascent time was 3.5 hours.

The descent was also difficult, as the rocks were very wet, but wet down in 1:45 without much incident. Take care and take your time in wet weather, it's worth going slower to avoid injury. Overall a nice hike, views would be terrific if we hit it on a clear day.